<a title="SJVC Home" href="/">Home</a> &gt; Accreditation
<h2>What Accreditation Is and Why It Matters</h2>
Accreditation is the process for evaluating and assuring the quality of education used by the American higher education community. Through accreditation, the higher education community shoulders the responsibility for monitoring the quality of the programs and services of member institutions.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6230" title="Bakersfield student" src="/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Bakersfield-student-600x320.png" alt="SJVC Bakersfield student listens while in class." width="600" height="320" />

Of the three types of accreditation (regional, national and programmatic), the most highly regarded form of institutional accreditation is <strong>regional</strong> accreditation. The regional accrediting commissions set a very high standard for the performance of the entire institution. Not all higher education institutions can meet these standards.
<h3>Institutional Accreditation</h3>
San Joaquin Valley College is <strong>regionally accredited</strong> by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the <a title="WASC" href="http://www.accjc.org/" target="_blank">Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC )</a>, an institutional accrediting body recognized by the <a title="Council for Higher Education Accreditation" href="http://www.chea.org/" target="_blank">Council for Higher Education Accreditation</a> and the <a title="U.S. Department of Education" href="http://www.ed.gov/" target="_blank">U.S. Department of Education.</a>
<ul>
	<li>• <a href="http://static.sjvc.edu/_downloads/docs/ACCJC2013SelfEvaluationReport2.pdf" target="_blank">View</a> SJVC's 2013 Self-Evaluation Report.</li>
	<li>• <a href="http://static.sjvc.edu/_downloads/docs/ACCJC-Site-Evaluation-Report-03-2013.pdf" target="_blank">Download</a> the ACCJC Site Evaluation Report.</li>
	<li>• <a href="http://static.sjvc.edu/_downloads/docs/ACCJC-Letter-Reaffirm-Accreditation.pdf" target="_blank">Read</a> the ACCJC Letter Reaffirming SJVC's Accreditation.</li>
</ul>
<h3>State Approvals</h3>
<a title="State Approvals" href="/state-approvals">View State Approvals for SJVC</a>.
<h3>Programmatic Accreditation</h3>
<a title="SJVC Aviation Maintenance Technology Accreditation href="/aviation-maintenance-technology?postTabs=4">Aviation Maintenance Technology</a>

<a title="SJVC Criminal Justice Corrections Accreditation href="/criminal-justice-corrections?postTabs=5">Criminal Justice: Corrections</a>

<strong>Dental Assisting</strong>
The Dental Assisting program is accredited by the Dental Board of California.
<ul>
	<li><strong>Dental Board of California</strong></li>
	<li>2005 Evergreen Street, Ste. 1550</li>
	<li>Sacramento, CA 95815</li>
	<li>(916) 263-2300</li>
	<li><a href="http://www.dbc.ca.gov/" target="_blank">http://www.dbc.ca.gov </a></li>
</ul>
<strong>Dental Hygiene</strong>
The Dental Hygiene program is accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).
<ul>
	<li><strong>Commission on Dental Accreditation</strong></li>
	<li>211 East Chicago Ave</li>
	<li>Chicago, IL 60611-2678</li>
	<li>(312) 440-2500</li>
	<li><a href="http://www.ada.org/117.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.ada.org/117.aspx </a></li>
</ul>
<strong>Emergency Services and Safety Management</strong>
The Emergency Services and Safety Management program is accredited by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) and the Bureau of Security and Investigative Service (BSIS).
<ul>
	<li><strong>California POST</strong></li>
	<li>1601 Alhambra Blvd.</li>
	<li>Sacramento, CA 95816-7083</li>
	<li>(916) 227-3909</li>
	<li><a href="http://www.post.ca.gov/" target="_blank">http://www.post.ca.gov</a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
	<li><strong>Bureau of Security and Investigative Service</strong></li>
	<li>PO Box 980550</li>
	<li>West Sacramento, CA 980550</li>
	<li>(800) 952-5210</li>
	<li><a href="http://www.bsis.ca.gov/" target="_blank">http://www.bsis.ca.gov</a></li>
</ul>
<strong>Physician Assistant</strong>
At its March 2012 meeting, Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) voted to place the San Joaquin Valley College Physician Assistant program on Probation until its next comprehensive review in March 2014. Accreditation - Probation is a temporary status of accreditation conferred when a program does not meet the Standards and when the capability of the program to provide an acceptable educational experience for its students is threatened. Once placed on probation, programs that still fail to comply with accreditation requirements in a timely manner, as specified by the ARC-PA, may be scheduled for a focused site visit and/or risk having their accreditation withdrawn. Specific questions regarding the Program and its plans should be directed to the Program Director and/or the appropriate institutional official(s).
<ul>
	<li><strong>Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant</strong></li>
	<li>12000 Findley Road, Ste. 150</li>
	<li>Johns Creek, GA 30097</li>
	<li>(770) 476-1224</li>
	<li><a href="http://www.arc-pa.org/" target="_blank">http://www.arc-pa.org </a></li>
</ul>
<strong>Registered Nursing</strong>
The Registered Nursing program is accredited by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN).
<ul>
	<li><strong>Board of Registered Nursing</strong></li>
	<li>1747 North Market Blvd., Ste. 150</li>
	<li>Sacramento, CA 95834</li>
	<li>(916) 322-3350</li>
	<li><a href="http://www.rn.ca.gov/index.shtml" target="_blank">http://www.rn.ca.gov/index.shtml</a></li>
</ul>
<strong>Respiratory Therapy</strong>
The Respiratory Therapy programs on the Rancho Cordova, Bakersfield, Visalia and Rancho Cucamonga campuses have been granted continuing accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC), 1248 Harwood Road, Bedford TX 76021, 1817283.2835; <a href="http://www.coarc.com/" target="_blank">http://www.coarc.com</a>

SJVC Temecula holds Provisional Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (<a href="http://www.coarc.com/">www.coarc.com</a>). This status signifies that a program that has been granted an Approval of Intent has demonstrated sufficient compliance to initiate a program in accordance with the Standards through the completion and submission of an acceptable Self Study Report (PSSR) and other documentation required by the CoARC Board. The conferral of Provisional Accreditation denotes a new program that has made significant progress towards meeting the Standards of Accreditation. The program will remain on Provisional Accreditation until achieving Initial Accreditation. It is recognized by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) toward eligibility to the Respiratory Care Credentialing Examination(s). Enrolled students completing the program under Provisional Accreditation are considered graduates of a CoARC accredited program.

<strong>Surgical Technology</strong>
The Surgical Technology program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) in cooperation with the Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (ARC-STSA).
<ul>
	<li><strong>ARC-STSA</strong></li>
	<li>6 W. Dry Creek Circle, Ste. 110</li>
	<li>Littleton, CO 80120</li>
	<li>(303) 694-9262</li>
	<li><a title="Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting" href="http://www.arcstsa.org/" target="_blank">http://www.arcstsa.org/</a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
	<li><strong>CAAHEP</strong></li>
	<li>1361 Park Street</li>
	<li>Clearwater, FL 33756</li>
	<li>(727) 210 2350</li>
	<li><a href="http://www.caahep.org/" target="_blank">http://www.caahep.org</a></li>
</ul>
<strong>Veterinary Technology</strong>
The Veterinary Technology program holds provisional accreditation by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), qualifying students to sit for the Registered Veterinary Technician (RTV) exam for state licensure immediately upon graduation.
<ul>
	<li><strong>AVMA</strong></li>
	<li>1931 North Meacham Road, Suite 100</li>
	<li>Schaumburg, IL 60173-4360</li>
	<li>(800) 248-2862</li>
	<li><a href="https://www.avma.org" target="_blank">https://www.avma.org</a></li>
</ul>
<strong>Vocational Nursing</strong>
The Licensed Vocational Nursing program is accredited by the California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians (BVNPT).
<ul>
	<li><strong>BVNPT</strong></li>
	<li>2535 Capital Oaks Dr., Ste. 205</li>
	<li>Sacramento, CA 95833</li>
	<li>(916) 263-7800</li>
	<li><a href="http://www.bvnpt.ca.gov/" target="_blank">http://www.bvnpt.ca.gov</a></li>
</ul>